THINKING ANEW:MORE THAN 20 years ago a wise person commented that one of the reasons banks had so much power was not because they had our money but because they knew where our money was and that information was surrounded by great secrecy.
There was almost some sort of “religion” surrounding banking secrecy and even nation states were reticent to interfere with the status quo when it came to banking norms. And that secrecy also had an element of fear attached to it. Up to the advent of universal banking practice, which goes back to the mid 1970s, the “common people” were somewhat fearful to cross the threshold of a bank.
There seems always to be a link between fear and secrecy. In tomorrow’s Gospel we read how the disciples of Jesus closed the doors in fear of the Jews. On Good Friday we read in the Passion account according to Saint John how Jesus tells the high priest that he had said nothing in secret. (John 18:20) That openness and transparency is in stark contrast to the behaviour of his closest friends when all they can do to protect themselves is close the doors. “In the evening of that same day, the first day of the week, the doors were closed in the room where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews. Jesus came and stood among them. He said to them, ‘Peace be with you’ and showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were filled with joy when they saw the Lord . . .” (John 20:19-21) The presence of the risen Lord makes the disciples forget about their fear and suddenly they are filled with joy. The closed doors become an irrelevancy. The sean fhocal, is gaire cabhair Dé ná and doras, comes to mind.
But unfortunately deep inside our psyche there is always the tendency to close doors, close ranks and at all costs protect ourselves and protect the organisation or institution. And we think that by keeping secret and insisting on telling no one we have the best chance of success and protecting ourselves.
There is a place for healthy secrecy in our relations with others; it is obscene for example for lovers to break that bond of loyalty. Families have their secrets, as do communities and organisations, but that secrecy must in all cases be tempered by the rules of what is right and wrong. Far too often words such as “loyalty” and “secrecy” have been misused to protect great wrongdoing. Secrecy is often the oxygen, which allows all forms of abuse to thrive.
It is an insidious scourge that cuts across all forms of human behaviour. Secrecy and fear complement each other. People who are afraid need to hide behind closed doors. They need to keep their business “secret”. Whereas those who are honest and know they are doing good have no reason whatsoever to hide behind closed doors or keep things secret. There is an ancient philosophical adage that says goodness of its nature diffuses itself. When we hear good news about something it is only natural that we tell the world about it. We tend to keep bad news to ourselves.
There will always be an element of tension between making something public and keeping it secret.
By keeping people in the dark, by not being open and transparent we take from the dignity of the person. It is as if we are saying that we do not trust and respect them. And that is particularly at odds in the context of the Christian message where on the one hand we say that we are all made in the image and likeness of God but quickly add that you can cannot be told the full story because we cannot trust you or simply don’t want you to know.
It’s not good enough to say, such are the ways of the world. It certainly was not the way of Jesus. It is remarkable that even those who were so close to him lost their nerve and took refuge behind closed doors.
Later in the Gospel reading we see how Thomas doubted what his fellow disciples told him about the risen Lord. (John 20:25) Of course doubt is part of the human make-up but it is always strengthened and confirmed when it is surrounded and enhanced in secrecy. Rumour and doubt are some of the ingredients of secrecy.
The current banking turmoil has created great worry within society. The fear is palpable but nothing will be overcome or solved through secrecy The message of Christ is anathema to insidious and unhealthy secrecy.
The Christian message is constantly challenging and calling us to open our hearts and minds, telling us never to hide behind closed doors. Our prayer this Easter, especially for the Christian churches, is that we will open the closed doors and speak and live in the openness and confidence of the message of the risen Lord.
MC